Dr Paul Hutchison, a healthcare professional turned parliamentarian, is pushing changes in New Zealand's clinical trial industry in order to give it a competitive edge in the market. Here's how he is doing it all!

Dr Paul Hutchison is ushering in a new era in the history of New Zealand's healthcare sector. Dr Hutchison, a parliamentarian from Hunua, is the present chair of the Health Select Committee, a key body responsible for bringing the recent changes in the clinical trial industry of New Zealand.

Dr Hutchison, hopes that the island nation leverages its focus, "From a base of stable government, strong institutions, and excellent educational facilities, to focus on research, innovation and its commercialization to form a third tier to our economy, that of primary products and tourism."

New Zealand in the past has not paid much attention to its clinical trial industry. For instance, the country lacks accurate records of trials done in the country or the revenue generated in the nation through clinical trials. It is estimated that pharmaceutical trials held in New Zealand during the year 2000 generated an excess of $100 million.

A report submitted by the Health Committee of New Zealand to the government, mentions that according to Health Strategic Initiatives Review Committee, New Zealand's aggregate annual clinical trial revenue is less than $30 million. In comparison, neighboring country Australia generates $464.71 million (AU$450 million) from clinical trials of pharmaceuticals alone. This significant reduction in revenue generated by New Zealand's clinical trial industry is indicative of the country's weakening competitive advantage.

Course correctionFollowing a series of discussions with the regulatory authorities in the country, Dr Hutchison, in June 2011, submitted a 62-page report titled, 'Inquiry into improving New Zealand's environment to support innovation through clinical trials', to New Zealand Parliament. The purpose of the report was to make necessary recommendations in order to improvise on the existing clinical trial industry. The committee made 54 recommendations and the government has now begun acting on them.

1Comment

Dr Hutchison's 2011 report was timely. He drew attention to, amongst other things, the benefits to: the participants in clinical trials, the health system generally, higher education and the economy. He quoted a New Zealand Trade and Enterprise [NZTE]-sponsored paper on the biotech industry which showed that (1) for every $1m spent, a further $1.03m was created in the wider economy resulting in total output of $2.03m; (2) the multiplier effect for every dollar in terms of GDP was 1.95 and (3) the multiplier for jobs was 3.41. The not-unreasonable assumption was made that this general pattern would be reflected in the clinical trials 'sector'.
Currently in New Zealand we are endeavouring to develop a cohesive Regenerative Medicine [RM] industry. The web page http://www.cmdt.org.nz/research-themes/ provides a general profile of RM which embraces clinical trialling in NZ as an integral component of its structure. It doesn't, I think, require a huge leap of imagination to visualise some of the benefits of having a strong and expanding sector. There are, of course, the overall outcomes noted in the NZTE study. But one might add the engendering of confidence on the part of biomedical researchers and their sponsors that products-to-be can be tested readily and affordably; the encouragement, springing from this, to continue with the necessary lab-end work; and the immediacy and colleagiality of researcher-clinician/trialler contact and the efficiencies arising. One could also mention the relative manageability [and low costs?] of carrying out trials in a small population and the accessibility of a wide range of ethno-cultural groups, the major ones of which encompass numbers suitable for robust study.
The clinical trialling sector in NZ is a health, education and economic driver-in-waiting. Decision-makers and influencers need to recognise this and take the necessary action to help ensure the growth and further development of the sector.
Cheers
Reg